A first attempt at fanfic writting: What if Dudley and Ginny exchanged letters concerning Harry. Takes place before, during and after Deathly Hallows. In progress as if reviews are good will revamp and expand story some.

I own nothing other than the plot of this story and the character of Briana all else is owned by the holder of the respectve copyright...in otherwords I am po dont sue me :P Privet Drive

The figure moved with a rather stunning amount of stealth given both his size and the fact that the floorboards near this door had been allowed to warp so as to provide warning that the occupant was trying to sneak out. Dudley stopped just outside the unmarked door and listened intently, yes his parents were still watching the news before dinner and Harry wasn't back from his wandering around town yet. Reaching out with a hand the size of sledgehammer, he opened the door tensed for well something nasty to hit him. After all, breaking into the room of a wizard was not a smart idea.

After a few moments of no large bangs or sparks of odd colors he walked in and closed the door softly behind him. He took a steadying breath and moved closer to the one he had actually come to see, who was staring intently with a look of scorn in its eyes from its cage.

"Now listen here bird, I know you don't like me and that's fine, but this is for Harry. I need you to take a letter to someone, I know that's what you do after all, deliver THEIR mail." He was talking rapid fashion now, almost as if to convince himself to actually do what he had planned out over several sleepless nights of listening to Harry's screams and nightmares. "I don't know how to address a letter to your kind of people, aside form what little I saw of the letters delivered here, but I put enough on it that I hope you can deliver it." with this Dudley reached inside his leather jacket and pulled out a plain white envelope addressed simply:

Harry's friend Ginny

"You know as well as I do bird that he's not been sleeping well and I think doing this might help him out a bit, so if you can PLEASE deliver this for me for him..." He trailed off into uncertainty as the eyes of Harry's snow white owl just peered into his soul. After what seemed like an eternity (and fearful that Harry or his parents would find him in here talking to a bird), Dudley sighed and started to back away. Then the owl hooted softly and reached for the letter slowly. Dudley went back, gave the letter to Hedwig watched him fly out of the window and snuck back to his room. "Well," he thought "I've done it. I feel good to have done it as well, there's a real shocker. Maybe Sister Barbara at Smeltings was right after all, doing a good deed for another is its own reward." He mused over this for several hours till he heard his mother and father yell up for him to come down to dinner and for Harry to stop acting strange. Life returned to normal in the Dursley house.

The Burrow

Ginny lay on her bed staring at nothing as she tried to figure out both how to deal with her brothers upcoming wedding to Fleur and what to do about Harry. Their agreement to separate after Dumbledore's death at the end of last term still rankled with her, why when they were finally together did that happiness have to end after such a brief period of time. Ginny was not afraid of being a target for Death Eaters or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named just because she was dating Harry, and Harry she could tell wanted to spend more time with her. He hadn't even written her a single letter all summer! well the Order was going to extricate Harry form his Uncles home soon enough and she really must decide on what to get him for his birthday.

A tapping on her window interrupted her circular depression and when she looked at her window it was almost to much to believe! Hedwig! And she was carrying a letter, she thought it was a letter as it was an awfully small envelope, but still it HAD to be from Harry! Jumping from her bed she opened the window and let Hedwig inside while collecting the letter.

"This can't be right..." she muttered "Harry's friend Ginny? And I don't recognize the handwriting at all what's going on?" Should I get Ron or Hermione to look at this she pondered silently, as she stood staring at the letter Hedwig flew over and hooted in her ear. "What Hedwig?" The owl looked pointedly at the letter and then at her several times before it sunk into her "All right, all right Ill open it" She ripped open the envelope and pulled out a sheet of lined paper with a message written on it, she read it quietly to Hedwig:

To Ginny

If you have heard anything about me from my cousin what you're about to read will strike you as exceedingly odd and off kilter for me. Let me just say that over the past two years I have changed greatly and have come to realize that Harry needs all the friends, compassion and love that he can get.

Harry has been having horrible dreams and restless nights of late, and during all of these dreams he screams out your name in a tone so heart wrenching and terrified that it would reduce you to tears. I do not know what may have passed between you over the last few years (and in honesty would rather not...I don't think I can handle it after the Dementors from last year just yet) but I know that Harry must still care VERY much for you. I beg you to forgive whatever hurt he may have caused you or whatever he might have said, and be his friend once more. I also ask that you don't tell him that I did this as I don't think it would do him much good right now to try to accept the fact that I am acting like a human being for the first time that he can remember.

Respectfully Dudley Dursley

"Wow"
"There's something I never thought to get huh Hedwig? But Harry is having nightmares concerning me," She asked looking directly into the large eyes of the owl who bobbed its head in agreement "so he still loves me..." The tears that had threatened before getting the letter started to flow freely, as she sat down at her worn desk and began to write a reply.

Finished with both the letter and the tears she went to her dresser and pulled out of the top drawer a small locket that contained a small snapshot of her and Harry taken by the Creevy's the last time they had all been at Hogwarts and slid it into the envelope and gave it to Hedwig.

"Be sure that Harry does not get this letter, take it straight to Dudley. And thank you Hedwig!" Gently hugging the owl she took it to the window and launched her into the night.

Privet Drive

Dudley woke the next morning to sunlight streaming into his room and breeze from an open window. "How the heck did that happen? I know I closed that last night." Dudley looked around the room as he got dressed to make sure nothing had gotten blown in overnight when he saw the envelope on his desk. He walked over to it cautiously and read the address: Dudley Dursley Privet Drive The bedroom by Harry's

He opened the letter slowly and extracted the message and the small locket on the silver chain.

To Dudley,

Thank you for your letter, I had been concerned over Harry all summer but had been told NOT to write to him for his own safety. I agree that we should not tell Harry that we have had correspondence it would only cause him confusion.

I care for Harry very deeply, and have for several years now, and Harry has professed his feelings for me very publicly and openly. It was for reasons best left unmentioned that we are not together though I hope to make him see reason about this soon, your letter has helped me to make a decision that I had been having a problem with for some time.

It is tradition in my family that when someone helps to bring two wayward people together again that they receive a small gift. The locket you have received has a picture of Harry and I inside it while we were dating at school, I want you to have it please. It means a lot to me and will eventually to Harry, when we decide to tell him, that you took this step. There is no magic on the necklace at all, Harry wanted the pictures to be absolutely normal for him to wear outside of our world. I will hopefully be able to send you more word later on this year concerning Harry if you wish to receive it. Tell the people escorting you later if you wish to talk with me they will be able to get me a message no matter where you are.

With thanks,

Ginny Weasley

"huh" Dudley grunted. Opening the locket he saw a picture of Harry and a rather stunning looking red haired girl sitting in a meadow. He looked over at the clock, "Well I've got a few hours to go till we have to leave and I am up early enough, I think I will leave Harry a cup of tea by his door so he doesn't have to face Dad again this morning. the row last night was bad enough" Dudley hummed a cheerful song to himself as he went downstairs

The Burrow 24 hours later

To Ginerva Weasley

Miss Weasley,

I have been approached by a young man who has desired to be made known to you for correspondence. He thanks you for taking good care of his friend and would be pleased to receive and send letters to you with your permission.

Respectfully,
Dedealus Diggle Somewhere near Mildenhall

To Mr. Diggle,

I will gladly share letters with the young man in question. Let him know that his friend is doing quite well now that there are others to help me in his care.
Miss Ginerva Weasley

RAF Mildenhall 6 months later

"Amazing" Dudley thought as he read Ginny's last letter. He looked at the apartment that he was being kept in on the American airbase. They had put him up here after the attack while fleeing Privet Drive, dad was dead that pain would never really fade. but to be honest he had been pushing me to join him at his company after this year and I hate drills and business sales. Dudley sighed. At least mother is still alive, although she is cooped up in that hospital in Lakenheath with all the injuries she sustained in the car crash. "Well I have a job to get to Briana." Dudley said to the other occupant of this apartment. he looked over at the most surprising thing of all over these past few months... a girlfriend..a serious girl not just someone who hung around him because he could beat up anyone who got in his way. Besides, as a witch she could handle herself he was sure., and she was an American to boot.

Her parents were stationed here a year ago and she was transferred to the same school Harry went to, although with all the changes going on since the fall of the ministry she had stopped going, both her parents were normal. Now they were both being watched over by both MP's and members of the Order of the Phoenix. For the most part however, they were acting like a young couple, Dudley worked in the military warehouses and Briana worked at the commissary.

"Ginny says that she will not be able to write as frequently as they will be going on the run shortly, looks like Harry is giving the bad guys a run for their money in trying to catch him. Good for him!"

Briana walked over, her brown hair bobbing in the pony tail she wore it in when not at work, gave him a hug and a kiss and said "Don't worry Dudders dear. It will all be better soon I am sure."

"Remember we are meeting my folks tonight for dinner Dudley so don't go out for to long with those guys at work ok?"

"Right Briana! I will be home as soon as I can get away form work." As he walked out the door , he felt the small square box in his pocket. "I hope she says yes..."he muttered under his breath nervously.

The Burrow

Ginny,

I know this is the last time I can write to you for awhile, I hope that you brothers get better, and that you had as happy a Christmas as is possible. May the New Year bring you all that you want, and what we all desire.

Wish me luck! But no charms please (just kidding). I am asking Briana tonight at dinner to marry me! I had to promise my mother that we would wait till she is out of the hospital for the wedding if she says yes. When that happens I hope that both of you will be able to attend.

Dudley

The Burrowa few months after the final battle

Ginny looked herself over in the mirror, the formal dress looked simply smashing on her if she did say so herself. Especially as she had started working out hard to make the Harpies reserve squad, Harry definitely thought so when they had gone shopping for clothes for the wedding. She looked down at her hands and saw the engagement ring Harry had presented her with last month and just smiled.

"Ginny we need to go if we are going to make it to Briana's wedding!" Harry cried from downstairs "Ron and Hermione are already on the way lets go!"

Ginny raced down the stairs and threw herself into his arms and said "I love you Harry!"

Together they turned on the spot and with the usual POP! apparated to the wedding site.

A letter sat on her dresser where she had left it after getting the invitation card out.

Ginny,

She said yes!!!!!

Please tell me that you and Harry will be able to come for the wedding?! I have included an invitation for you both.

Dudley

Mildenhall Forest, RAF Mildenhall

"I hope he can make it mum. Its important to both of us that he is here." Dudley said in a soft whisper staring at the letter in his hand. He looked up at his mother, who just smiled a sad little smile.

"I know dear, if that young lady of his says he can make it then they will be here. I want your and Briana's day to be perfect, if that means that he has to be here then I wont say anything else." She looked up at a noise coming from the other side of the wooded area set aside for the groom, "Someone's coming dear, I better go get seated." She gave him a hug and kiss and headed off for the wedding altar.

"I have been told that you wanted to talk to me? And Briana mentioned something about you being nervous so I figured I would come over and see who it was that managed to make such a fine catch!" Harry's voice called out from behind Dudley.

With a deep breath, Dudley dropped the letter and turned to face his cousin. Harry stood there his mouth hanging open like a landed fish. Dudley began to chuckle and tears of joy streamed down his face as he swept his astounded cousin up in a massive hug.

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